Electromagnetic switch.



A. H. GAVEN.

ELEGTROMAGNETIG SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.17, 1913.

1 1 1 1 ,21 5, Batented Sept. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

line. 2 n u "Ifllll Attorneys Witnesses A. H. CAVEN. ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCH, APPLICATION IILEIJ- DEG.17,1913.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W "2 M2 Q) 4% 30 7 Z2 24 24 Cf 2 1/5 Attorneys o rrno s'rarps PATENT oFrioE.

r ALVA HAYS CAVEN, or YOUNGWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTROMAGNETIC SVJITCH.

To all whom it may concern Be-it known that I, ALVA H. CAVEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngwood, in the county of Westrnoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Electromagnetic Switch, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in electro-magnetic switches, the same being especially adapted to be used in connection with train signal devices, said switch being controlled by one or more solenoids to impart the desired step-by-step movement to the switch due to the entrance or departure ofa car to and from a block.

' A further object of the present invention 'is the provision of a pawl guiding means that insures the proper direction of the pawl to and from a ratchet for actuating an oscillatory and rotary signaling device, said pawl being. actuatedelectro-magnetically.

*With the foregoing and other objects in view-which will appear as the description proceeds, the'invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in'the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the circuit controlling mechanism stationed at the end of one and the. beginning of another block. Fig. 2 is a view taken from the opposite side of the device as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the switch mechanism and the pawls for operating the same, the cores of the two solenoids being shown in section and the top of the support of the device being removed. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the pawls of the pawl guiding members. i

' Referring to the drawings, the numerals 9 and 11 designate the respective operating solenoids of the present device. As clearly illustrated in- .Figs. 1, 2, and 3, theisigiial switch controlling device which is operated by the respective solenoids 9 and 11 comprises a base 14 of insulating mate rial, preferably slate, having the supporting posts 15, which support the upper plate 16.

The upper plate 16 constitutes a support for the two solenoids 9 and 11. v

Mounted in the standards 17 and 18, is a shaft 19 to which is keyed the two ratchet Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 22, 1914.. Application filed December 17, 1813. Serial No. 807,286.

wheels 20 and 21, there being interposed between such ratchet wheels, a stationary shield or plate 22 carried by the supporting plate 23 attached to the base 1 1 of the present'device. The ratchet wheels 20 and 21 are disposed to cause the shaft 19, due to the energization of the respective solenoids 9 and 11, to have imparted thereto, a step-by-step movementin two directions, the disk 20 being operated by the solenoid 9 as the carenters the block, while the disk 21 is operated bythe solenoid 11 as the car leaves-the block.

Connected to the core 24 of the solenoid 9 is a lever 25 which is limited in its downward movement by means of the pin or post 26, the core 24 being weighted so as to fall by gravity to assume the position, as shown in Fig. 1. The lever 25, as clearly illus trated, is pivoted at 27 and carries in its extreme free end, the pawl 28. The upper end of the pawl 28 ,is'provided with the hooked terminal 29 adapted when the solenoid 9 is energized to be pulled downwardly to engage one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 20 and consequently rotate the shaft 19 in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1. A plate 30 is connected to the disk 22 and forms a guide to maintain the pawl 28 in proper relation and against the plate 22, so that the pin 31 carried by and projecting from the inner face of the hooked end of the pawl 28 will properly ride within the slot 32 formed in said plate. This slot is so formed as to properly coact with the pivoted member 33, mounted at c and which assists in guiding the pawl 28 into engage- 20 and the shaft 19 should the solenoid 11 be energized during the falling of the core 24: of the solenoid 9. Disposed for movement within the upper end of the slot as before stated, is the pivoted switch member 33 which is provided with the lug 33 each 'side of which coacts with the adjacent edges of the plate 22 to form passageways for the pin 31 of the pawl 28, as'the pawl is elevated and lowered. The pawl when lowered has its pin 31 passed between the lug 33 and the inner wall of theslot. thus moving the terminal 29 toward and into engagement with the ratchet 20 or 21 and when elevated the pin 29 moves the member 33 to close the slot by striking the lower end of the lug 33, the pin riding upon the outer side of the lug 33 into the slot 3% to finally assume the position, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

As the operating mechanism for the ratchet wheel 21 is identical with that of the ratchet wheel 20, the various elements constituting the control of the solenoid 11 are primed as articularly shown in Fig. 2.

Operated by each of the respective levers 25 and 25, is an arresting pawl 36, which is adapted to have its upper free hooked end moved inwardly as its respective pawl 28 or 28 is moved downwardly and thus be disposed in the path to engage one of the pins ab and limit the movement of its respective ratchet wheels 20-21 so that the shaft 19 cannot be moved more than one step at a time due to the energization of the respective controlling solenoids 9-11. The pawl 36 is. pivoted intermediate of its ends at 50 to the plate 23, its lower end being slotted at 51, to receive the pin 52 carried by the lever 25, thus the pin and slot connection forms a means for operating the pawl 36 to and from engagement with one of the pins a-b. It will thus be seen that when the solenoid 9 is energized, the shaft 19 will be rotated in the direction of the arrow, as indicated in Fig. 1 while when the solenoid 11 is energized, the shaft will be rotated or moved in an opposite direction. In order to provide a means for properly controlling a signal or other circuit, there is keyed upon the shaft 19, a disk 37 of insulation, the greater portion of the periphery of which is covered by the metal contact plate 38, while disposed adjacent to a portion of the periphery of the disk is a sup port 39 of insulation. This support 39 is properly supported upon the base 1& of the present device. .Carried by the insulating support 39, is a central resiliently supported contact terminal 10, and two similarly supported contact terminals 41 and 42, the metal plate 38 when bridging either of the terminals 4:0 or 41, or 40 and 42 closing an electrical circuit as will presently appear.

When the present switch controlling device is in normal condition, the insulated portion 43 is adjacent to the contact terminal 4:0, and therefore the circuit is opened, and the signals are at normal condition.

The diameter of the disk 37 and the extent to which the periphery of the same is covered by the metal plate 38 and also the distance between the respective contact members 40?4;1 and 4042 will regulate .the number of cars permitted to enter a single block before the signal circuit is deenergized. It is also apparent that only two contacts 40:41 or 0 2 a necessary, three eing returned to normal position by gravity, a,

pawl connected to said lever for actuatin the ratchet wheel, cooperable means carri by the pawl and plate for guiding the pawl into and out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel during the energization and denergization of the solenoid, a switch connected to and carried by the shaft, said cooperable means operating the pawl including a pivoted member mounted within the plate and provided with 9. lug, and a pin gaged by and to engage said pivoted member to change the ath of movement of the pin and pawl during the oscillation of the pawl by the lever.

2. In a circuit controlling device for electric railways, a base, two oppositely disposed solenoids mounted thereupon, a shaft mounted for oscillation between the solenoids, two ratchet wheels keyed to said shaft, a plate mounted upon the base and disposed about the shaft, and between the ratchet wheels, two levers, one operably connected to the core of each solenoid and adapted to be returned to normal position by gravity, two pawls, one connected to each lever for actuating its respective ratchet wheel, cooperable means carried by each pawl and the plate for guiding the pawl into and out of engagement with the teeth of its respective ratchet wheel during the energization and denergization of its respective solenoid, a circuit controllin device connected to and carried by the iaft, said cooperable means for operating the respective pawls, including a pivoted member mounted in the plate and provided with 8. lug, and a pin carried by each pawl and disposed to be engaged by and to enga e said pivoted member to change the path 0 movement of the pin and pawl during the oscillation of the pawl by the lever.

3. In a circuit controlling device for electric railway signals, a base, two opupon, the cores of said solenoids when the solenoids are denergized falling by gravity, a shaft mounted for oscillation between the solenoids, a circuit controller carried by the shaft, two toothed ratchets connected to and carried by the shaft, said carried by the pawl and disposed to be enpositely disposed solenoids mounted thereratchets; being disposed in spaced relation to each other, two levers, one connected to each coreof the solenoids and disposed for reciproeatory movement, two pawls, one to each lever for engagement with its respective toothed ratchet, one pawl being disposed to move the shaft in an opposite direction to the other pawl, a plate disposed between both ratchet wheels, coiiperable means carried by the-pawls and the plate for guiding the pawlinto engagement with the ratchet Copies of this patent may be obtained for wheel of its respectivesolenoid is energized "and for guiding the same out of engagement 7 with the wheel when the core of its respecl5 tive solenoid is released to gravity, said cooperable means including a pin carried by the pawl, said plate being provided with a slot for receiving the pin, and a pivoted member mounted in the plate and having an abutment for coaction with the wall of the slot of the plate and with the pin of the pawl to guide the pawl through the pin into and out of engagement with the ratchet wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALVA HAYS cAvEN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

